In his first year at Boys Town Jerusalem (BTJ), Yaniv struggled to keep up with the class. “When I first started studying at BTJ, this school was bigger than me in every sense of the word,” Yaniv recalled, “but my teachers helped me to believe in myself.“

Just three years later, Yaniv had become one of the few students to take a double major in both computer programming and computer networking.

Following his high school graduation, Yaniv remained on campus (and in the dormitory) for an additional two years, studying Software Engineering at BTJ’s College of Applied Engineering (CAE) and subsequently enrolled at the Jerusalem College of Technology to take degree-level courses simultaneously with his CAE studies under a new agreement between the colleges.

Following Yaniv’s recent graduation from the College of Applied Engineering, he has enlisted in the IDF, where he was selected for a prestigious six-year program enabling him to continue his degree studies two days a week while serving in an IDF Cyber-Security unit four days a week. Once he completes his degree, Yaniv will become an IDF officer in an elite unit.

“This school raised me and made me who I am today. I’ve gone to each of my teachers to personally thank them for changing my life.”

“Yaniv is definitely my biggest success story in 35 years of teaching.” declares Computer Networking head Shlomo Seruk. For his part, Yaniv is already planning his own salute to the school. “For now, my future plans are to study education and return as an instructor at Boys Town Jerusalem.”